Exceptional preservation of soft tissue in a new specimen of Eoconfuciusornis and its biological implications

Author:

Zheng Xiaoting12,O’Connor Jingmai K.3,Wang Xiaoli12,Pan Yanhong4,Wang Yan12,Wang Min3,Zhou Zhonghe3

Affiliation:

1. Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Linyi University, Linyi 276005, China

2. Shandong Tianyu Museum of Nature, Pingyi 273300, China

3. Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100044, China

4. Key Laboratory of Economic Stratigraphy and Palaeogeography, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China

Abstract

Abstract We report on an exceptional specimen of Eoconfuciusornis preserving rare soft-tissue traces of the ovary and wing. Ovarian follicles preserve a greater hierarchy than observed in Jeholornis and enantiornithines, suggesting confuciusornithiforms evolved higher rates of yolk deposition in parallel with the neornithine lineage. The preserved soft tissues of the wing indicate the presence of a propatagium and postpatagium, whereas an alular patagium is absent. Preserved remnants of the internal support network of the propatagium bear remarkable similarity to that of living birds. Soft tissue suggests the confuciusornithiform propatagium could maintain a cambered profile and generate lift. The feathers of the wing preserve remnants of their original patterning; however, this is not strongly reflected by observable differences under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The tail plumage lacks elongate rectrices, suggesting that the earliest known confuciusornithiforms were sexually dimorphic in their plumage.

Funder

National Basic Research Program of China National Natural Science Foundation of China

Publisher

Oxford University Press (OUP)

Subject

Multidisciplinary

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